I admit that when it comes to the Texas Rangers, I am a fair weather fan. They have been a poorly run organization for decades. They have a history of trading away their best players and imploding every year after the all star break. This year has been different.

The club went through bankruptcy, changed owners, and earlier in the year, the manager confessed to cocaine use. But! They didn't implode after the all star break, and, they finally won the division.

The problem around here is that beating out 3 other teams to win the west, was celebrated like they had won it all. For me, it's just not enough to join the tireless fans that cheer for them in May, June, and the scorching hot months of July and August.

I am a fair weather fan. If you want me to buy shirts and hats, you need to win.

Having said that, they are slowly sucking me in. As I type, they are up 3-0 bottom of 3rd against one of the top 2 teams in all of baseball (this year).

slam me if you need to, but I won't officially jump on the band wagon unless they advance to the next round. As for next year (even if they win it all) I won't stay on the band wagon unless they can prove that they can have a successful off season and not trade away all of their good players.

Spend the money Nolan! Build us a future that goes well beyond being in the first round every 10 or so years........

gotta love how MLB allows a team going through bankruptcy proceedings to add the most coveted pitcher in all of baseball. adding more debt to an already bankrupt team is absolutely ridiculous. of course, I am a yankee fan, so I might have been a tad bit irritated on missing out on Cliff Lee at the deadline.

Cliff Lee pitched like a BOSS last night! Setting a MLB record with the most strike outs in post season history.

Glad to see the Rangers doing well, if anyone deserves it is the fans who haven't seen the Rangers do anything in their franchise history. I hope they make it to the world series, better yet I hope they win!

Cliff, Im like you as well...I have been lured in since they won their division.

As an Angels fan since I was barely old enough to drink, I can't stand the Rangers, until this year they have never caused me much grief. I will say I am rooting for them against the Yankees, down with the evil empire!!

stephan - dont hate the yankees because the ownership group likes to win. hate your own ownership group for not doing enough to bring a winner regularly.
I absolutely HATE the fact that athletes get paid the money they do to play a game for a living. however, I love the fact that the yankees put a competitive team on the field every year for their fans. I HATE the fact that the yankees have to pay a "luxury tax" every year to the "lower tier" owners who dont put it back into the team, but just put it in their pocket year after year.
Cliff Lee is so effing good right now, it just ain't fair. I am hoping Burnett or CC (whoever pitches game 4) can at least tie things up for the yanks.

I think everyone likes to see a certain amount of parity in their competition. Its like showing up to a local drag race against a few highschool kids with modded Mustangs that they mowed a few thousand yards to fix up, with your million dollar drag car. Yes, you would win. Yes, you paid good money to win. But is it really something to be proud of? I bet it makes it really hard to be a Yankees fan, because when you win, there is no glory, you were supposed to win, and when you cant keep your own stadium filled past the 7th inning, you are the laughing stock of sports.

haha. hardly. when you are the most succesful and profitable sports franchise in the world, you can hardly be the laughing stock of sports. true baseball fans know that money does not win championships. its all about being hot at the right time, with good pitching and timely hitting. it does not matter if your payroll is $200 million or $50 million. the only difference is the $200 million team will be there competing more often then not.
with all that said, the rangers are really taking it to the yankees right now. good pitching, timely hitting, etc, etc. good for them. they have a good group of guys and they deserve all the accolades they are receiving right now.

Train, I would agree with your "being hot at the right time" statement. I'm afraid your Yankees have run into what looks like a perfect storm. The Rangers have the bats, the defense and for now the pitching. I have a hard time seeing anyone take them out this year. It was the same when my Angels won their only WS, right guys right time.

No, you cannot buy championships, but that doesnt stop teams from trying to in any sport. However, those teams that do try are clowned when they fail, and not given props when they succeed. it seems like a lose lose for those teams fans.

When the Yankees win, it is seen as buying wins and nobody cares. When a team like the Rays win, there is a TON of respect given.

And the Yankees baseball team is not profitable. I dont think many sports franchises are. The YES network is profitable but a separate company.

the yankees own something like 40% of the YES network, so any losses incurred by the team, are offset. maybe "profitable" is the wrong choice of words here. George Steinbrenner bought them for something like $10 million, and they would almost certainly be worth close to a billion dollars if sold today.

I think that I will watch that one again!
how sweet was that that A-Rod was the final out!
I was down the road at TGI Fridays having dinner when Feliz threw that last pitch. We could hear, feel and see the fireworks from the Ballpark!
Now I guess that I need to hope that the Rangers lose one game so that my game 5 tickets will be good.
Woo Hoo! go Rangers!